summer reading
A friend of mine just emailed me asking me about books related to globalization, economics, consumerism, and other issues, and I compiled a list for her and thought it might be nice to share these. You know, for all that summer reading on the beach you may want to catch up on all that hard-core theory and history (ouch!). OK, maybe not, but if you're hankering for some brain food, check these out:
"Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature," by Donna Harraway (specifically the essay "A Cyborg Manifesto"). Even though this book is rather old (80s) it still has a very radical take on things...highly recommended in general and was totally pivotal for my artwork while in undergrad!
"No Logo: No Space, No Choice, No Jobs," by Naomi Klein. From the early 2000s, it's a tad outdated now, but still interesting and informative.
"Empire," by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri. VERY dense and theoretical but interesting theory on how megacorporations are replacing the nation-state...
"Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire," also by Hardt and Negri. The flip side to the megacorporations--more about resistance to the powers-that-be.
"Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America," by Barbara Ehrenreich
"Shopping: A Century of Consumer Culture," art catalog with essays. FABULOUS book and great essays in general about consumer culture and artworks.
"Making Sweatshops," by Ellen Rosen. Good statistics and well-laid out history of the garment industry and the "race to the bottom"
"The Cultural Front: The Laboring of American Culture in the 20th Century." a wonderful book focusing mostly on 1930s labor movements and the art and music it produced. I was shocked to see how socially radical things were!
"Globalization and its Discontents," by Joseph Stieglitz, ex-World Bank head. Great for a breakdown on the economics of globalization in general and how it affected different countries and economies
Also, what are YOU reading these days? I would love some recommendations, so if you can think of any, please tell me! Fiction, nonfiction, whatever... I've been meaning to read some David Sedaris and the new Mike Davis book but haven't gotten my hands on 'em yet!
6 Comments:
For your friend's "light" reading list - "Why We Buy; the science of shopping" by Paco Underhill - this is a almost a trade handbook for me.
On my reading list:
Light: "The Tao of Willie" by Willie Nelson with Turk Pipkin - because Willie Nelson is the MAN! and he cracks jokes in the book too.
Heavy: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" by Dee Brown - because I've been so frickn happy lately, I need to get something that'll give me a cold splash of reality. I thought, if anything, a story about the plight of our Native American brothers during the second half of the 19th century, should do the trick.
Got my anti-factory jacket! Did I tell you how much I love you?
Diana
P.S. Oh and I love David Sedaris. I would pay him to talk to me. He is even more hilarious when he does live readings. Get him on audio!
since giving reproducing the internet has sneakily replaced my reading. until now.
my summer reading:
primo levi - the periodic table
de certeau - the practice of everyday life
this is one of those (many) books i've bought during undergrad, and used in essays but not yet read.
susan sontag - against interpretation
a reread. i always get new things each time i reread this. or at least i think i do.
mike kelley - minor histories
another reread
mignon nixon - fantstic reality
Jorge Luis Borges - Fictions
Jerzy Kosinski - Cockpit
Chuck Palahniuk - Haunted
and last but not least,
Adventures of Tintin: "The Black Island", "King Ottokar's Sceptre" and "The Broken Ear" v. 2 (Tintin Three-in-one Volumes)
Oh wow, my reading list is huge! I have so many magazine subscriptions, that I'm usually going month to month, reading all of those.
The last book that I read was a month ago - "Eve Green" by Susan Fletcher; very recommended!
Otherwise, I've got a 6-page-long amazon.com wishlist going with lots of different topics to read :: http://www.amazon.com/o/registry/35LHPMLHANQQ3
Donna Harraway!!!! I love her and have had the privilege of taking a class from her here @ UCSC. She is the most amazing lecturer and has the most warm, inviting spirit ever. If you like her and Science and Technology Studies in general, check out Karan Barad.
Yo! I am a huge fan of Donna Haraway's critical theory... and also of your clothes (though I am never quick enough on the draw to get something). Never thought I would see someone whose fashion I like to also like critical scientific feminist theory. Another fave of mine is Borderlands by Gloria Anzaldua. Check it out. Also old, but even more poignant these days. As is The Handmaid's Tale, which I recently re-read. Scary!
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